Half a Century High
Phil Ochs * Track #3 On Tape from California
Download "Half a Century High"
Half a Century High by Phil Ochs
Performed by
Phil OchsProduced by
Larry MarksWrited by
Phil OchsAbout
Possibly Phil’s most enigmatic song. It seems to be an oblique sound painting of some kind of dystopian future, but so elliptically drawn it could be saying almost anything, really. The studio version on “Tape from California” contains only the first, third and penultimate verses shown here.
Half a Century High Lyrics
[Verse 1]
In the tube where I was born
I could have sworn
There was so much to see
There was so little to be
But I was free
World at my command
Through the dots I ran
Looking for a man that looked like me
[Chorus]
And now it can be told
I'm a quarter of a century old
But I'm a half a century high
[Verse 2]
In the tube where I was grown
I was alone
The figure on the floor
The dream behind the door
The sound was low
Ball game on the street
Disappeared behind my feet
Out of breath my heart would beat
To see another show
[Chorus]
And now it can be told
I'm a quarter of a century old
But I'm a half a century high
[Verse 3]
In the tube where I was killed
I was fulfilled
The lies of light would blend
I'd stare until the end
And then again
Faded in the fad
I gave all the mind I had
And whenever I was sad
I had my friend
[Chorus]
So now it can be told
I'm a quarter of a century old
But I'm a half a century high
Half a Century High Q&A
Who wrote Half a Century High's ?
Half a Century High was written by Phil Ochs.
Who produced Half a Century High's ?
Half a Century High was produced by Larry Marks.